The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-19

independent, whatever may be the FORM
OF the governments established In Ito
several parts. those governments will be
animated By an American feeling. and
guided BY an American policy" Clay. 1t win
| DO recalled. was overruled. Just a. Blaine was,
in his attempt to effect o species OF commercial
and diplomatic coalition between the Central
and South American republics and tho United
states. II Ia q little difficult TO reconcile with
| Cay's hostility to Spain his denuncistfon OF
| Cen Jackson's breaches Of international law
| In the Seminole war. The defeat which Clay
suffered In this, his first encounter with Gen.
jackson, leads Mr.. SchurH to discuss In some
interesting remarks the power Of the popu-
larity OF q victorious soldier. especial
ly in O country whore military hero
IL 70 rare character. It was worth while to
examine tho nature Of the force Of which we
have seen o noteworthy example In our own
time, and which proved too strong for Clay in
the great duel which embittered tho best part
OF his life. In the eight years Of Monroe's
Presidency. moreover. Clay's standing In his
party was seriously shaken, not only by his
abortiye attack upon Gen. jackson. but By
his frequent hostility to the Administration.
and also by his incorrigible devotion TO gam
bling 1t seems, according to an entry In Mr.
Adamss diary. that, in 1918 or 1919. Clay neg
lected Ito oppose . certain bill because during
"the last fortnight OF the session he spent
almost every night At the card table, and ono
night Poindexter had won Of him $1,000. This
discomposed Clay to such degree that he paid
no attention TO the business OF the House for
the remainder Of the session."
Mr.. schurz does not forget to add. however.
that .Clay himself felt that his habits In regard
to gambling had been unfavorably noticed.
Soon afterward. in speech In tho House. he
a. ~
chance as an amusement which In carly Life he
and experience had determined him to re-
nounce. The promise referred only to games
OF chance. for whist maintained an Irresistible
charm over him." But 1t was not long after
December l819 when he was reelected Speak
or without much opposition lowing to Mon
roe's refusal to countenance the proposed at
tempt to Gust him from the chair, before Clay
again assaulted tho Administration: but he fall
cd In his effort to prevent the confirmation OF
the treaty with Spain providing for the cession
OF Florida.
Clay's conduct with relation to the Missouri
Compromise did much to restore his waning
reputation. It is well known that the Missouri
bill failed in the Fifteenth Congress, and might
have failed In the Sixteenth but for Clay's
arbitrary and rather INSCRIPTIONS exercise Of
the Speakers power in its behalf The debate
however, showed that Clay. In common with
most OF the Inhabitants Of the Southern States,
had materially changed his views concerning
slavery in the course Of q quarter Of a century.
The change is distinctly marked by Mr.. Sehurz:
1T Il clear" he says. that Clay. who at the
beginning OF his public life had risked all his
political prospects by advocating emancipation
in Kentucky. now not only favored compro-
mise admitting new slave State. but In doing
80 used some Of the very arguments character
istic OF those who had worked themselves up
to belief In slavery as o blessing, and en-
deayored TO strengthen and perpetuato its
rule We're these" Mr.. Schurz proceeds to
ask. Ibis real sentiments2 It is impossible to
believe that his condemns atoms OF the isystem
OF slavery and his professions Of hope that It
would DO extinguished. were insfncere. His
feelings in this respect would occasionally
burst out In an unprecedented and unguard-
ed way. as when at this same period,
while the Missouri struggle was going on
in all its fury. he complimented the
new South American republics for having
emancipated their slaves. But the same man
would advocate with great force and In
speech Of considerable length. bill to facilitate
the catching Of fugitives from Justice. and per-
sons escaping from the service Of their
masters. We shall find more such puz-
zles in his career" It is certain.
nevertheless, that In assuring the pas
sage of the Missouri compromise. he turned
tho scale against the extreme demands Of the
Shareholders. AS to his conduct In inducing the
House to eventually admit Missouri upon her
agreement not to debar free negroes from
settling in the State. Mr.. Schurz undoubtedly
expresses the historical as well as contempo-
rary Judgment when he says. this final accom-
mediation was mainly due to Clay's zeal.
perseverance. skill, and the moving
warmth Of his personal appeals" Ad-
ans wrote In his diary that lone Of
the greatest results OF this conflict Of three ses
sions was to bring into full display the talents
and resources and influence Of Mr.. Clay" The
inquiry is raised by Mr.. Schurz whether 1T
would not have been better craftsmanship to
force tho Missouri question to straight issue
at any risk 2" He answers the inquiry, prop
erly. rs we think in the negative, for at that
time the Union sentiment was nowhere strong
enough to prevent dissolution Of the federal
bond had the Southern Senators and Repre-
sentatives left Washington, as they almost
certainly would have done but for the compro-
mise. with which Clay must mainly be credited.
1t was at this time $780, when he had earned
the distinction OF having done more than any
of his contemporaries to hold the Union to-
gether. that Mr. Clay retired from Congress- to
resume the practice Of law In the hope of re-
trieving his private fortunes. But his retire.
ment was only Of brief duration. for he was
again chosen to represent the Lexington dis
trict In the Eighteenth Congress. which met In
December. 1923. During his absence there
had been no lack of contestants for the Speak
ership: but on his temperance he was re-
elected Speaker by an immense majority over
the previous occupant OF the office. It is note
worthy that in this session. although 1t pre-
coded the Presidential campaign OF 1924.
In which Clay was to be a candidate.
he did not hesitate to vote against the bill
granting pension TO the mother Of Comma
dore Perry for the unQuestionably valid rca-
sons that Perry had not died Of injuries re-
ceived in tho scrvice and that the principles Of
the pension laws had already been overstepped
in granting q pension TO his widow and chill
dren. At this juncture, which was certainly
one Of the crises Of his life. Clay refused to de-
scend to the tricks OF the demagogue.
prcferring TO commend himself to popular